In our Tears
by Anjel
Summary: This story is based on the past lives of the ronins and warlords and how their lives finally were ready to win the battle against the Dynasty.
1. The Sacrifice

# In our Tears

A/N: I don't know why, I suppose I wanted to write on something different from my ongoing series, "Worse," but I wrote this in the hopes that someone out there might be interested in the previous lives of the characters. Part one of this fiction talks about part of an important family in my story. Kane, or Death, has a daughter whom he loves, but while he may be a good leader, he is a horrible father. He tends to make mistakes meant to help his loved ones and his people. Kenido portrays Kane in the sense where he must choose between what he knows is right, and what he feels for his daughter, Alandra. Alandra, or Ami in my original series, is the bearor of the Armor of Love; she is obedient in most things she feels is right or will make someone she cares about happy. Norvik, or Anubis, is trying to save the people he loves, and is fighting his own failure in saving his loved ones. Kanden, or Kaosu (the Ancient), as you may or may not know, in my little twisted stories, is the brother of Kane. In the past, they had been battling from separate sides, each being the leader. I hope you enjoy the first part of my story!

* * *

"I'll do it," she said softly and the room went silent. The buzz of people's voices died down to less than a hum and everyone stared at their leader's favorite girl. "I'll do it," she repeated a bit louder.

"You'll go? As a sacrifice?" Kenido asked seriously. He didn't know if he could do it, to destroy someone so close to him. He eyed the room critically. '_Please,_' he thought. '_Someone else, let there be someone else...gods... don't make me do this! Not to her!_'

Alandra nodded. "I'll do it." Those three words broke his heart and he slumped slightly. He had wanted her to say no so badly. He should've known she wouldn't refuse, she had too much honor. And too much love of others to not sacrifice herself. 

He nodded slowly and turned his back as the people around her grabbed her and pulled her toward the ceremonial preparal room. His eyes closed and his breath was shallow before he collapsed to the floor and prayed that someone else would speak up, or that by some miracle, this sacrifice would not be necessary. 

~Oo~oOo~oO~

Norvik ran through the corridors quickly; silently. Pausing and listening, he heard the sounds going on around him. They were preparing someone for sacrifice; he had to hurry. He begged silently that it wasn't someone he knew, and that he would be there in time to save them. The image of his mother, popped into his head and he swore under his breath. How could someone willingly let them kill them? Wasn't there any self preservation in any of them? He wouldn't fail, not _this_ time.

~Oo~oOo~oO~

Each step he took was a whispered echo in her soul. She could feel it as readily as the sheer robes she was eveloped in, but she didn't raise an alarm. Instead, she let them lead her, rose petals thrown in front of her steps, towards the altar. She'd watched many people eagerly wish to be sacrificed, but had failed the vital test. Glancing down at the charred remains of her hands, she brutally pushed the pain away from her mind. _She_ had passed.

Her red curls were swept up and her blue eyes were bright. She willed herself forward, ignoring the heartbeat that echoed hers. '_Norvik_' her heart cried out stubbornly. Stepping up on the silver steps, she lay down on the altar. No bonds were necessary to hold her in place as she stared at the ceiling, awaiting her death.

Kenido's eyes were carefully blanked of emotion; if red rimmed from crying, no one noticed in the darkness. Offering her a drink to haze her senses, he was forestalled by her lifting her charred hands to block the move. "Drink," he begged softly. He didn't think he could look into her eyes as he killed her, knowing that she could feel it all. This was too hard. Once again his eyes looked over their people, looking at their solemn faces for any sign of a miracle. _'Please!'_ his heart cried out. '_Don't make me do this!_'

"It is not necessary, father." She would do him honor, she would not take the drug to black her senses and make it almost a giddy sensation when the death came.

He nodded and his hand lightly carressed the bejeweled dagger in his hand that he had hoped to pass down to his oldest. But now she was to be sacrificed, by his own hand. "With this point," he intonned softly, repeating the words he knew so well. "I severed all tied to life, but this and this alone:" he watched, eyes aching from holding back tears, as she repeated the words silently with him. "Death, she is thine." His hands trembled as he placed the prick over her heart and started a downward thrust. "Goodbye," he closed his eyes. "Loved one...."

~Oo~oOo~oO~

Norvik ran into the ceremonial chamber just in time to watch the knife pierce through her. "NOOOooo!" he screamed, dropping to his knees, sobbing. "Why?' he asked, shaking his head. His hands covered his face as he cried. "Alandra!" His auborn hair fell over his hands and his blue eyes burned with pain. "A-alandra..." He had failed... _again_! "Damn it!! I loved you... oh why??" he screamed angrily. "Kanden, I have failed again!"

A solemn man walked out of the shadows and drew Norvik to him. "Peace be unto you, there is more to be done." The white haired man then turned and faced Kenido. "And peace be unto you, brother, may you understand and live with the choice you have made today. I can do nothing here." He then turned and opened a portal, leading the greifstricken Norvik back to the safety of their Monastry.

~Oo~oOo~oO~

Kenido watched the bright portal fade into nonexistance and turned and looked at his people. "It has been done. Now leave me alone with my grief."

The people slowly left the sacred room, somehow just now grasping the importance of the death they had just witnessed. How much more would their leader give up for them? And did they deserve that ultimate sacrifice?


	2. Homicidal Tendencies

# In our Tears

A/N: Kivi is who Kat once was: The Bearor of the Armor of Confusion soon to exist. She is fighting on the same side as Kanden. (Kaosu) Kaalid, or Kale, the Warlord of Corruption, is with Kenido and is unsure as to whether he is fighting on the right side. Daanon, or Dais, Kanden's son in my twisted little reality, is handfasted to Kellne (Kayura).

* * *

Kanden led the despaired Norvik through the crowd, refusing to answer any questions. As they passed Daanon and Kellne, Kanden nodded to them and they followed to help with the weeping man. Daanon was as tall as his father, inherited white hair pulled back and following softly behind. Kellne, Daanon's betrothed, pushed her blue hair from her shoulders and followed her future father-in-law also. Kellne glanced over towards her friend Kivi and nodded once, letting her know that she would tell her about it later.

Kivi sighed softly, knowing what had happened. Norvik had failed, _again_. She wasn't quite sure why she didn't like the young man, but the fact remained that she didn't. She pitied him a little, the sacrifice must've been someone close to him, and if that was so...Kaalid must still be safe. She was ashamed of the joy she felt that someone other then her beloved had been sacrificed. Working her way through the crowd, the curly haired girl listened carefully to the talk going on in the room.

"There was nothing you could do, Norvik," Daanon reminded him. "She had to be willing, you know this!" A noise, likened to a shuffling of feet and a loud bang testifying of someone kicking something reached Kivi's ears.

Kellne's soft voice was barely heard as she soothed the young man. "She'll be with you again in the next life, Norvik..."

"Then kill me! I want to go on!" he cried out. "Do it now! I beg of you!!"

"Get control of yourself, Norvik! You have more to do in this life, first!" Daanon sounded just as his father did: self sacrificing. Kivi rolled her eyes.

"That's easy for _you_ to say, Daanon, you have your beloved here!" he answered bitterly. "What do I have now? My failures mocking me! What have I left?"

"You have your family; you have us!" Kellne tried again to soothe him. Kivi could tell her friend was getting frustrated with the selfpitying nonsense Norvik was babbling. The argument went on for several more hours until Kivi just wanted to scream, "Oh give it up! Kill him and put him out of our misery.. we can find someone who actually succeeds!"

Finally, Kivi just left. Racing down the hallway, she pushed through a doorway and into a field of snow. "Kaalid?" she asked softly, not really expecting an answer.

"I am here," the voice replied from the darkness. A young man with unkempt blue hair stepped towards her to embrace her still form. Looking deeply into her violet eyes, he bent down and kissed her.

She pulled away from the kiss and looked around. "Kaalid! What are you doing here?" she whispered. "You know it's unsafe for you here!"

"It's unsafe for us anywhere, Kivi! I'm tired of hiding how I feel, I want to marry you," he said bitterly. "I want us to spend our lives together...and not hide our feelings in shame!"

She sighed sadly and reached up to caress his cheek. "But we are on different sides, so we must not. You know how it is, we never should have continued this affair..."

"I love you, and I wish you weren't too scared to say you love me in return," he accused, frustratedly. He went abruptly silent as the sound of a door opening and shutting interrupted them.

"Who's there?" a voice called out cautiously. Norvik appeared soon, holding a knife, the sleeves of his tunic rolled up.

"You must go!" she whispered fiercely to her lover. "It's just I, Kivi!" she replied back with forced cheerfulness. Kaalid shook his head and stubbornly held onto her hands. A struggle encrued as she tried to get him to let go and leave.

When Norvik was close enough, he recognized Kaalid's colors[¹][1], and saw Kivi struggling. "You swine! Get your hands off of her!!" He readied him self to attack and ran towards Kaalid. The blue haired youth barely had time to push Kivi out of the way before Norvik cut him. Kivi stumbled to the ground, crying out, further angrying both males. Unarmed, Kaalid stood little chance against one of Kanden's best, but he fought with his heart. The fight became somewhat of a dodge and thrust, like a cat playing with a mouse, the outcame seemed inevitable. Tired and sweating, they both were weary. Kaalid tried a desperate move and ran towards Norvik to tackle him down, but the auborn haired warrior, surprised, held up his knife to defend himself and the large knife pierced through him. A gurgling sound escaped his mouth as blood started trickling down. Norvik kicked him off his knife and stared fascinated at the blood on his knife.

Kivi, sobbing, ran towards Kaalid's crumpled, bleeding form. His eyes opened and he smiled at her, though it was more of a wince of agony by the time he was done. "Kivi...I'm...dying..."

She shook her head sobbing. "No, Kaalid! You can't.. Don't leave me.. I do love you! Do you hear me?" she shook his still form and looked into his lifeless eyes. "Damn you!" she cursed, turning around and glaring at Norvik. "How could you?"

"I- I thought he was attacking you..." he said, still in shock. He had killed someone; he was no better than Kenido's people...then _Kenido_. Kivi ran at him and pushed him, hitting him and sobbing. Norvik just stood there, unsure of what to do. Soon she was just sobbing in his arms, unaware of the fact. "Oh...Kaalid..." 

Kellne walked over to them and stared down at the dead body on the ground. "What has happened here?" She looked at the two.

Kivi, pushed herself away from Norvik. "He has killed him... Kaalid..." she closed her eyes, sobbing. "Kaalid is dead."

* * *

¹ In older cultures, leaders had certain colors that their people would wear to show they supported them. The higher classes especially tended to wear the colors of their chosen leader.

   [1]: #¹



	3. Exile

# In our Tears

A/N: Seindo, or Sehkmet (beloved Sehkie), is Norvik's best friend; how will he handle the knowledge of him being a killer? Adalynn (Anjel), the future Warlord of Innocence, may get caught in the crossfire. Will Selhi (Sage) be needed to heal? Find out in the next episode of: "In our Tears" *snickers*

* * *

Seindo looked up from the talisman he was studying when he heard the footsteps stop. Mouth agape, he stared in shock at the man standing in front of him. His friend was wearing a bewildered expression and had clasped in his right hand a long dagger that looked like it had been washed in blood. The sight left Seindo speechless.

"I didn't mean to, Seindo," a lost little boy's voice came out of the usually baretone man. His eyes were wide and held an appeal in them as he seemed to beg for acceptance and forgiveness.

"W-what happened?" Seindo asked, staring at Norvik cautiously. He wasn't sure as of what was going on, but someone had better inform him fast.

"It was an accident," Norvik continued with his odd voice. "Honestly...It was!"

"I'm sure it was," Seindo stayed seated, deciding whether he should call for help or not. Something was terribly wrong, and he wasn't sure he wanted to know what.

"He-he feel on my knife, Seindo! You have to help me hide the body!" Norvik didn't sound scared, just desperate. And there was a body. A dead body. A corpse! And his best friend wanted him to help hide it...

The light pitter patter of feet made Norvik turn and face the doorway, dagger ready. A petite blonde stood at the door and blinked. "Norvik?" she asked softly.

"No, Adalynn," he shook his head adamantly. "I didn't mean to - it was an accident!" his strange voice babbled to her.

The pregnant girl glanced over at Seindo. "Of course it was, Norvik," she murmurred in soothing undertones. Seeing the blood on him didn't seem to phaze her, but she was sympathetic to the pain she felt in his eyes.

Seindo ran a hand through his sloppy green hair and stood up. "Norvik, why don't I take you to go clean up?" He needed to get his friend away from Adalynn before something happened.

The boy-man backed away from him, eyes wide and unseeing. "No! You're not going to help me! You want to exile me! You hate me!"

"Of course we're going to help you, and we don't hate you. Norvik, please let us help you," Adalynn tried to calm him.

His eyes darted back and forth between them. "I NEED TO HIDE THE BODY!!" he screamed at them. Shaking, he tried to hold the dagger steady in his hand.

"We'll help you," Seindo soothed, edging towards him. Just a little closer. A little more... He was almost in reach of Norvik now.

"No!" Norvik looked wildly about for escape, but Adalynn was blocking the only exit. "Don't touch me!" he shouted in Seindo's face before turning around and punching the obstacle blocking his route to freedom.

Adalynn fell to the ground and screamed as Norvik ran over her prone and bleeding body. "Norvik!" she groaned, holding her stomach. Each breath she took hurt and she felt tightenings in her belly. "No..." she moaned. "My baby!"

Seindo wanted to race after the man whom he used to call friend, but with Adalynn bleeding and hurt, he couldn't do more than shout for help. "Somebody!! Please!! Help!! Adalynn's...!" he didn't know how to say what was wrong; he wasn't sure what he should say. "Someone help!"

A young man with blond hair perfectly in place ran into the room. "Adalynn?!" His brow furrowed as he tried to figure out just what had happened. "Is she going into labor early?" As the resident healer, he knew when she was due, and he knew this _wasn't_ the date. His amethyst eyes caught the blood that was pooling out of her and he gasped. "She's miscarrying!" He knelt down immediately and sent Seindo for help. "Addy... Look at me!" he ordered her. 

She seemed to be staring off into nothing and he placed his hands on her stomach to push the baby out. No sound escaped her mouth except for the air pushed out of her lungs. Her lips were lightly open and her face was pale. Looking down at his hands, he noticed the blood soaking them. This wasn't just a miscarriage. "Damn it!" he swore under his breath. Quickly, he checked for a pulse. Nothing. He listened for breathing. Nada. Glancing into her eyes, he noticed they had that glossy blankness that gave from death. Her face was still twisted up in shock and pain and her body still continued to bleed, the dead baby and afterbirth staining the floor. "What's going on here?" he asked softly. 

Bending down, he picked up her still form, clasping it to him, and carried her towards Kanden's chambers. The room was in complete havoc, everyone shouting and screaming to be heard. "I want answers!" he shouted. A chorus of agreement overwhelmed the silence and Kanden held up his hand.

A deathly quiet enveloped the once noisy room. "Norvik is gone." The clammer started up again and Kanden once more raised his hand for silence. "He is no longer part of us, as we do not condone killing of any creature, regardless of whom they fight for. The death of Kaalid may not be a tragedy of all, but the loss and 'death' of Norvik, should be. He is now dead in our eyes," he rendered the judgement sadly.

"But he didn't kill one of ours!" a nameless voice called out.

"And I commend you on your loyalty, however, death is death. And he is foresworn. Is there any man or woman out there who would disagree with the fact that the vow had been made?" There were quiet whisperings and shaking of heads. "No death shall be on our heads, we are a peaceful people."

Selhi pushed his way through the crowd. "I need answers," he said softly. "I need to know why he was not restrained or exiled after the first death. Why he was let loose to hurt and kill again. I need to know," he said softly, and precisely. "Why Adalynn had to die." And with those words, he laid her body down, gently, as if to do otherwise would break her fragile corpse.

"Adalynn? She's dead?" the people murmurred amongst themselves.

Kanden knelt beside the body. "Does Kiiston know?"

"He does now," a solemn voice rang out clearly as a man with a purposeful stride reached them. His soft blue hair fell about his face and his grey eyes held tears in check. "My poor Adalynn," he whispered, kneeling beside her. He glanced up to stare into his leader's eyes. "Leave me be with her," he said softly. "Please."

They filed out of the room, Kanden the last to leave. Kiiston looked down at his love and stroked her cheek. "Til death to us part, we vowed, but I didn't think our separation would be this soon. I'll find you again in the next life, and I'll cherish our time together more. I'm sorry I wasn't there to hold your hand with our first born child; I'm sorry I wasn't there when you needed me." Leaning down, he brushed a feathery kiss against her dry parted lips. "Goodbye, Adalynn." His tears fell unheeded onto her face. "If you only knew how much I love you..."


	4. Death by Flames

****

In our Tears

A/N: Ransii, as you might've guessed, is our friendly little psychopathic pyro, or Ryo as the case may be *wink*. Hmm… and can you guess who the friendly thief is?

* * *

"Burn! Burn!" Ransii chanted, mesmerized by the flames. "Upwards; onwards, burning endless flames!!"

"Ransii!" Kenido's voice interrupted the pyro's chant. He'd been trying to get the young man's attention for thirty minutes now.

Unhearing, Ransii continued, "Sear the soul, and burn through time. Fire higher, higher!" his eyes watched the dwindling flames. "Mine," he whispered possessively.

"RANSII!!" Kenido screamed, trying to be heard. The room filled suddenly with people ready to protect their leader from whatever he was screaming about. "Go back to our lives, friends, nothing is wrong..." The room dispersed and he glanced at the black haired young man in front of him. "May I have her?"

Ransii held the bejeweled vase close to his chest, staring at his leader, uncertain. "She is mine now!" he said softly, clinging to Alandra's burned remains.

"She is dead and cremated, give me her urn," Kenido calmly stated, hand outstretched to take the precious container. The only he had left to remember her, and he was going to keep it.

Thus commanded, Ransii reluctantly handed over the silver urn. "She was mine…" he whispered, staring at the vessel remorsefully. "I loved her…"

"Only as the object that gave you flame," Kenido reminded him softly. It hurt to be standing there, talking about his daughter like naught more than ash. The stench in the room almost overwhelmed his senses, making him feel quite ill. The stink of burned flesh and hair clung to him and he gagged in reaction. This was the smell of his daughter now. Looking down at the expensive pottery holding his daughters charred remains, a tear fell down his face. This was his daughter.

~Oo~oOo~oO~

Norvik ran. He had to get his love back and he needed to hold her in his arms once again. She couldn't be really dead, it had to have been a nightmare. Yes, and Adalynn was still alive as was Kaalid… Was that his name? And Kivi didn't hate him. And he was still part of the clan. Now all he had to do was reach Alandra to prove he was right; it was all a nightmare.

He was lost, unsure of where he was. All the darkened hallways looked the same to him. His feet led him on where his eyes couldn't see, letting him stumble around in the dark. Up ahead, was that a light? He ran for it, like a moth to a flame, desiring its warmth. '_Must find Alandra_,' his mind told him.

The room seemed to be abandoned, and smelled quite badly. He was nauseous and needed to lay down. But where? There seemed to be a bed of some sort, one that would keep him safe, kind of like a large crib. He pulled himself in, and closed his eyes. '_Just a little rest_…' he thought to himself as his body fell into restful unconsciousness.

~Oo~oOo~oO~

Kenido set the urn down on his bedside table, unsure as to where to put it. "My poor daughter," he whispered softly. Unable to bear looking at it, he left the room. It was eerily quiet around here…

~Oo~oOo~oO~

Ransii pouted. He had wanted to keep the lovely Alandra's ash! Having nothing more he was supposed to do, he went back into the burning chamber, wanting to smell the welcoming aroma of burned flesh. His eyes widened and his mouth formed a small "oh," as he saw the body all prepared for him to burn. Eyes alight, he grinned and mentally reminded himself to thank Kenido. Maybe _these_ remains he could keep.

Doing a happy little jig, he got the fire burning again and rubbed his hands together in delight. Two in one day! He hadn't had this much fun since the last battle! A small smirk flashed across his face as he looked down at the body. A fresh one! And no ceremony was involved! This one must've been quite bad… 

Humming to himself, he started pushing the casket closer to the flames. "Come along, little villain, and you'll burn like the rest. Hell will welcome your burning corpse…"

~Oo~oOo~oO~

"There has to be something with value in the gods forsaken place," Kineth muttered to himself as he sneaked around the room. "You're supposed to be the powerful and rich leader, Kenido!" 

Swearing under his breath, he stumbled over something, and banged his knee against a table. The sound of something wobbling made him instinctively put his hands out to catch it. His eyes lit up when he felt the jeweled object and he quickly stuck it in his bag. "Now that's more like it…" he murmured. "I'll come back for more later…" and with that, he scurried out into the night.

~Oo~oOo~oO~

Norvik was getting warm. He wasn't sure why until he felt the heat sear his body. "Damn it!" he muttered. "Now I'm hallucinating!" 

Something about the way this felt, told him he was _actually_ burning! He screamed as the agony of the flames burned his skin, and the stench and smoke gagged him, making him cough. He tore at his clothes, trying to get them off, thinking maybe that would help. No relief came to him and his eyes looked around desperately for escape. "Alandra!!" he screamed. "I'm coming to you!"

~Oo~oOo~oO~

Kenido ran into the room, after hearing the screams and his daughter's name. What was going on here? The people were trying to stop Ransii from doing something. "Ransii? What's going on here?"

"He's burning someone!"

"But there isn't any more dead… Who's he burning?" Kenido looked at the joyful glee on the young man's face. And knew no one was going to stop the burning in time to save the person.

"We don't know…"


End file.
